Star Wars Uncut: Director's Cut Now Streaming, Best Lucas Film Since 1983

Sure, we could argue all day about where the Star Wars franchise went off the rails, but there's really no point. Now that 3D has become Hollywood's new excuse for repurposing old films, we're all going to have to suffer together as Lucasfilm re-re-releases The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith. But if you want to see a vastly better movie right from the comfort of your home or office, there's always Star Wars Uncut: Director's Cut.

In case you missed things the first time around, the Star Wars Uncut project has been in the works since 2009, when web developer Casey Pugh recreated a website where people could upload fan-made 15-second clips from Star Wars IV: A New Hope.

Over the course of a year or so, more than enough footage was submitted and handpicked to remake the entire movie, and the disparity in scenes is frankly hilarious. In one minute, you'll be watching exceptional stop-motion animation, and in the next minute, the entire cast is inexplicably replaced by cats, or three guys in a hot tub. In a way, it's an achievement that both pays great respect to the sci-fi epic and yet revels in its ridiculousness over the years.

It was good enough to win an Creative Arts Emmy Award for "Outstanding Achievement in Interactive Media" in 2010, but that was the old version of the movie. Now, you can watch the final version, with all the specially hand-picked scenes, right over here. Or, if you prefer the non-streaming, old-fashioned method, the entire thing's also available on YouTube and Vimeo.

Ah, memories. Sometimes, I wonder what would've happened if someone had actually been brave enough to tell George Lucas that he really should've let a more competent person direct the prequels -- or just never have done them at all. One can only wonder.

McKinley Noble is a former GamePro staff editor, current technology nerd and eternal mixed martial arts enthusiast. His opinions about Star Wars are his own, and not representative of PC World's. Follow him on Twitter or just Google his name.